Sport and Cinema.com

Baseball’s Midsummer Classic returns to Anaheim Tuesday for the third time since the All-Star Game began in 1933, but the event has changed quite a bit since the city first hosted the exhibition (in 1967 when the NL won in dramatic fashion on a Tony Perez home run in the 15th inning).

Where did the author stand? Primarily in centerfield. The former Phillie, Cubs and Ranger player, Doug Glanville presents a cornucopia of the everyday occurrences, rituals and pressures that operate hand-in-hand as a major league ballplayer.

One of major league baseball’s oldest franchises gets some well-earned exposure on DVD as this multi-disc set presents four television broadcasts of games that are representative of the pride between Tiger fans and their ball club.

One of baseball’s most charismatic and talented players of all-time is presented in a rich and engrossing new biography that goes well beyond the amazing statistics. Still the numbers reflect the ultimate “five-tool” player:

As we begin 2010 it is time to consider which is the BEST sports movie from the first decade of the 21st Century.

There are some very good choices. Documentaries, by the way, like “Dogtown and Z-Boys” deserve their own column.

Here is the Top Ten:

The key word here is “treasures” as so much of the engaging material in this lavishly illustrated history of America’s game can only be found in the unparalleled collections of the Library of Congress.

Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie striding in alongside Michael Phelps as part of the American team in the parade of athletes entering the main stadium for the Opening Ceremonies?

Chafets’ examination of the history of the institution that is supposed to represent the best of the American pastime, comes at an intriguing juncture when the sport is really at a crossroads especially regarding performance-enhanced drugs and their affect on long-standing records and of course the game itself. What role does character play? Do Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds deserve an asterisk, should they get voted into the Hall of Fame?

On the heels of news about the resurrection of the baseball drama, “Moneyball”, actor Billy Bob Thornton has announced he will return to the diamond on the silver screen as well, this time as a producer.

Sony Picture’s baseball film is back in the starting lineup after being benched over creative differences recently.